Pediatric Dentistry

Regular dental cleanings let us get to know your child and help them feel comfortable at our office. They’re also one of the most important steps to keeping gums healthy and teeth free of cavities. During cleanings, tartar and plaque are removed and then the teeth are polished.  We also identify any dietary or nutritional habits that may need to be altered to reduce your child’s risk of tooth decay during regular cleanings.

Some children have small crevices in the surfaces of their teeth where cavity-causing plaque can collect. Dental sealants fill in these crevices and seal them in order to prevent decay. The sealant is applied directly to the chewing surfaces of the tooth where it quickly hardens, forming a protective barrier.

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SDF contains silver, which has been used in medicine for years to kill bacteria and fight infection.  The combination of silver and fluoride kills the bacteria that causes tooth decay and helps stop the decay process.   We use SDF in some situations where we can not treat a patient due to behavior, if we are trying to delay care or if we want to avoid a cavity getting much worse.   The side effect of SDF is the visible decay will turn black.  

Composite fillings match the color of your child’s teeth, making them a restorative treatment that repairs both function and appearance to a decayed tooth. The decay is removed and then the composite material is used to replace the damaged portion of the tooth.

When a tooth’s pulp is damaged or infected, a pulpotomy is needed. This treatment involves removing the pulp, cleaning the tooth chamber, and then filling the chamber with resorbable material. A dental filling or stainless steel crown is then used to seal the tooth and prevent reinfection.

A stainless steel crown is a dental restoration that covers the outside of a severely decayed or damaged primary molar. Unlike most crowns for adults, stainless steel crowns are completed in one office visit. A white “strip” crown is an alternative used for decayed incisors.

Our goal is to always save the natural tooth whenever possible. Sometimes, though, the best course of action is to extract a tooth. If the tooth in question is a primary tooth, this can often be done with only local anesthesia. In order to prevent future orthodontic issues, a space maintainer may be used to ensure that the secondary tooth has room to erupt.

When your child comes in for their routine dental visits, they’ll always have an oral evaluation to check for cavities and other dental problems.

During some visits, your child may need digital radiographs, either as a diagnostic tool to help us check for decay and bone defects, or to prepare for a dental procedure. Rest assured, digital x-rays reduce radiation exposure by more than 50 percent. These images can be viewed immediately to help guide treatment.

Habit appliances are used to stop children from sucking thumbs and fingers and to retrain an improper tongue position or swallowing pattern. Most habit appliances are banded to the back molars and can only be removed by a dentist.  We generally have an orthodontist fabricate these appliances.

When a primary tooth is lost early, space maintainers can be used to prevent adjacent teeth from moving into the empty space. This leaves room for the secondary tooth to erupt and prevents future orthodontic issues. Space maintainers are made from stainless steel and/or plastic and they can be removable or fixed to the teeth.

Chips, discoloration, cracks, and other minor cosmetic damage can be restored using composite bonding. A tooth-colored material is used to fill in where the tooth is damaged for natural-looking results.

Nitrous oxide, also known as “laughing gas,” is a safe and effective sedation option that is inhaled through a mask. Within minutes, it produces a relaxed state and it wears off just as quickly once the mask is removed.

Local anesthesia refers to a topical or injected anesthetic that affects only the targeted area for a short amount of time to minimize or eliminate pain during a dental procedure.

In conjunction with an anesthesiologist, we also offer general anesthesia at the Maine General Medical Center in Augusta, if necessary.

Click here to learn more about Hospital Dentistry.